Open AccessIntensity level and cardiorespiratory responses to Baduanjin exercise in patients with chronic heart failure
Author(s) -
Chen Xiankun,
Marrone Gaetano,
Olson Thomas P.,
Lundborg Cecilia Stålsby,
Zhu Huiying,
Wen Zehuai,
Lu Weihui,
Jiang Wei
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
esc heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.787
H-Index - 25
ISSN - 2055-5822
DOI - 10.1002/ehf2.12959
Subject(s) - cardiorespiratory fitness , medicine , physical therapy , heart failure , vo2 max , energy expenditure , exercise intensity , metabolic equivalent , heart rate , intensity (physics) , cycle ergometer , ventilatory threshold , cardiology , physical activity , blood pressure , physics , quantum mechanics
Aims Baduanjin (eight silken movements), a traditional Chinese exercise, is an alternative to the most common cardiac rehabilitation programmes due to their scarcity and unaffordability in China. The aim of this study was to measure the intensity and energy expenditure during Baduanjin and to determine the relative oxygen consumption (VO 2 ) and heart rate (HR) responses of Baduanjin compared with maximal capacity in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods and results Twenty participants (age: 65 ± 10 years, male: n = 17) with New York Heart Association II–III volunteered for this study. Participants were examined during two separate sessions, with 1–2 weeks between sessions. During session one, a symptom‐limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed on a cycle ergometer for measurement of maximal exercise capacity. Additionally, participants were taught Baduanjin exercise from a professional coach and were required to do it at home until the second session when their technique was confirmed by the coach. During session two, participants performed one 9 min round of Baduanjin with continuous measurement of VO 2 and HR. Measurements obtained during the Baduanjin were compared with data obtained during cardiopulmonary exercise testing. While performing Baduanjin , the mean VO 2 and HR were 7.1 ± 1.2 mL/kg/min and 86.1 ± 15.2 b.p.m., respectively. Compared with the cardiopulmonary exercise test, the VO 2 was 44% of their VO 2max and 67% of their HR max , categorizing Baduanjin as a moderate‐intensity exercise. The average energy expenditure during Baduanjin was 23.3 ± 4.4 kcal. Additionally, the VO 2 and HR responses during Baduanjin both exhibited a bimodal pattern. Conclusions The results suggest that Baduanjin is a moderate‐intensity aerobic exercise that could be an effective and safe exercise modality for home‐based cardiac rehabilitation.